PERSONAL MOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2455, 3 April 1901, Page 64

PERSONAL MOTES.

— LorJ IVLioivjafiiten, who was 71 on Febiuary 3, was m Jus day a f.imoui oar'man, and icv. ed twice in the CJrmersity race for CamLi*dge. His lordship has been a Loul cf Appeal for more than 15 years, and < hairman of t'v. Legal Council of Education since 1895. —It 13 probably as a cricketer that Lord Harris is better known to the gicat mass of ti-e British public than as a public servant, in spite of the fact that he has held such lmpf.itaut offices as Undcr-secrctary for India, and Under .secretary for War and the Goverrcrship of Bombay for five year;. To his c.iher public RervicPs must be rdded the fact that he has been Adjutant-general for the Yeomanry in South Africa. He was 50 on February 3. — It was not for nothing that Mr H. SetonKarr shot big game in thp Far Wect of America and in Norway in his early days, for when the Sharpshooters were to be organised in South Afnoa he was one of those who geve not a little aid in furthering the movement. State colonisation and natural food supplies are two subjects whioh interest him gicatiy, though not to the exclusion cf many torms of sport, on which he has frequently written in various publications. His fortyeighth birthday occurred on February 5. — Sir Fleetwood Edwards, who is taid to b( N osie of the executors of the late Queen's will, succeeded Sir Henry Ponsonby as Kcrpcr of tlie Privy Purse in 1895, but for many yearo boforo that ho had been Sir Hcniy'o deputy. It is his business to pay out the talaj-e*, of the domestic household, c'icc'-v the account*, and ma'-ce the Royal donationt. Sir Fleetwood is a retired Lieutenantcolonol of the Eng necrs, aiid as a smart young "sapper" ho went, with Sir Lmtom Simmons, as A.D.C. to the Congress of Berlin, from which Lord Beaccnsficlcl brought back the ghr.ise "Peace with Honour." He was fortunate enough to attract the attention of Lord Bcp.coii^field, who mentioned h'in. to the Queen, who soon afterwards appointed him her assistant pnvate secretary. — It is natural to picture a King-of-Arms as grave and dignified, with a blend of the cavalier and the ciusty antiquarian. It is something of a shock therefore to recognise in a fresh-complcxioned curly-hahcd young man, who might well be fre&h from Oxford, Sir Arthur Vicars, Ulster King-of Arms and a European authority on all thmg3 of antiquity. Sir Arthur, who was born 36 years ago, is an excellent example of the polished, versatile and popular young man of his day. He hunts and recites, plays bowls, and generally enjoys life in Dublin as if there were no such thh.gs as archaeology and heraldry. He is among tlie very few men who have blossomed into kmghta at the early age of 52. — A Prince of the Blood who has lned under five monarchs of England is the Duke of Cambridge, the " grand old man " of the Royal family. Bor» in 1819, a few months earlier than the late Queen, he came into the world just in time to &cc the last days of the reign of his grandfather, George 111. He was a boy of 11 when his uncle, George IV, died, anil as p. young man of 18 was among the Prince 3 who bore William FV to hi 3 last resting place in 1837. The Duke has survived the greatest monarch of them all, his. cotifin, Victoria, to whese son he has now in turn vowed allegiance. While the Kinj wai Prince of Wales he aud the Duke of Cambridge were occasionally to be seen seated togther on the first of the cross-benches in the House of Lords. The Duke will probably often bo seen there agam, but when the Kin:? returns it will be to occupy the throne. — Nikola Tesla, v.ho ib e'eing Ins bctt to iptioduce the earth to M;irs, narrowly missed pom? astray mi his vocatioa. He was born m Scrvia. nrar the borders of Austna-Hun-Saiy, in 1857. a:.d whr>n he had graduated in. the publ'c schools his father wn'.iefl to makf l.im a. priesr. Bug the Greek Church did not; i.ppoal to Tesla. He v, .13 liiuch more mlereszod in iincMetism end mechanics. He qu.il.fied hiir.aolf fcr the Telegraph Engineeringdepartment of the Austiian Government, aiHt early 111 the eighties went for a year to Parts, where he was employed by large electric lighting companies. From Paris ho went to America, and .began his pract'eal investigations in Mr Edison's laboratoiy. He has lectured before the highest scientific authorities in the world. — Sir William H^nrv White has held the office of Director of Naval Construction for over 15 year--. During th's time he has Leru the responsible designer of all the ship* in the British Navy, an. offico he was well r i?ah- Lfipd to perform, booing that it was he who organised and directed the war ship-bui!ding depanmeni, of the great firm of Armstrong citirinp; two previous years. How great is his nbihty us a raval constructor may bo judged by the fact that when he was only 25 he was appointed Profc=-or of Navsl Architecture at tho Royal School of N.ivpl Arr>'iitectuie and the Royal Naval Collesre, ao office ho held for 11 years, from 1870 till 1831. Sir William was bora on February 2, 184-5. — T'lCro i* something icmaiitic (remarks tiic " King ") in the rapidity with which Lord Cr.rzon has built up one of the most brilliant lcputatioiio of aio'loin times. He has --con as much of the world as any man Inina under 40. He has won a triple crown of fame— in politics, in travel, and in literature. Tv years ho produced lhre-> gr<-af i-coks on foreign qiiections, one of which took hjiu th" a y< acs, while another was th" outcome oi piarticaUy two jocuxieyr- round tlio vvorld. At 50 ho had made frici.cW of tv o of tho most jiitcrostirg personalities in A-jia — the S'-'ah of Ppr-i.i and tho Ame-M- of Afghanistan. Politics notwithstanding, Lord Curzon would probably say thai the exploration ot wild countries i^ h:~ favour. tp r.. n:patic::. At 41 he fills the highest office unclor the Throne. I'-o lules over more subjects than tho Czar. Ho has tialaees and a Court as splendid as tho^o of the la'e Queen Victoria, and a salary six times that cf the President of America.